By John Ikani
A Netflix docudrama series that portrays Queen Cleopatra VII as a black African has stirred up controversy in Egypt, with a lawyer accusing the show of violating media laws and attempting to erase Egyptian identity.
The series, called African Queens: Queen Cleopatra, depicts the last queen of a Greek-speaking dynasty as played by Adele James, a mixed-race actress.
However, some Egyptians had issues with the show’s depiction of Cleopatra as black, with a prominent archaeologist insisting she was “light-skinned, not black.”
Despite the criticism, the producer and actress have defended the casting decision.
Cleopatra was born in Alexandria in 69 BC and was the last queen of a dynasty established by Alexander the Great’s Macedonian general Ptolemy.
She ruled from 51 BC until her death in 30 BC, after which Egypt was taken over by Rome.
While historians aren’t sure of her mother’s identity, some speculate that she, or one of her female ancestors, could have been from Egypt or another African country.
Netflix’s companion website Tudum explained in February that casting a mixed-race actress was a way to recognize the ongoing debate about Cleopatra’s race.
Jada Pinkett Smith, the executive producer and narrator, said that highlighting stories about black queens was vital to educate the public.
However, many Egyptians were unhappy when the trailer for the show came out, with one archaeologist saying the depiction of Cleopatra was “completely fake.”
Zahi Hawass, a prominent Egyptologist and former antiquities minister, called on Egyptians to take action against Netflix and accused the show of promoting false facts about the origin of Egyptian civilization.
He claimed that the only black rulers of Egypt were the Kushite kings of the 25th Dynasty, which lasted from 747-656 BC.
Three years ago, a plan to cast Israeli actress Gal Gadot in the role of Cleopatra for an upcoming movie sparked a similar debate, with some people arguing that an Arab or African actress should play the role instead.
Gadot defended the casting choice at the time, saying that they were searching for a Macedonian actress that could fit the role of Cleopatra, but one wasn’t found.
